ZWO ASI2400MC Pro or ZWO ASI6200MC Pro (RC 12 TRUSS)

I have used 6200MM and still using it, the same pixel size 2600MM on C11HD is perfect in my Bortle 6-7 balcony. The better thing is if I will use the camera on a smaller scope with shorter FL, 6200 is better, but if you only use on this long FL scope, budget is somehow limited, 2400MC should also work with larger pixels, I usually do binning on my C11HD too. Considering up to B8 light pollution, you may need narrowband filters often, you may consider mono setups again i guess.

Some basic feedback. I have both a 2400MC and 2600MM with filter wheel. The 2600 has the same pixel scale as the 6200, but at APS-C size frame instead of full frame.

The 2400 is probably a better match for a longer focal length scope. If your RC is 2000-2500mm focal length, the 5.94um pixels of the 2400 will already be at 0.5-0.6 "/pixel (or less) which is probably oversampling for almost anywhere except a pristine mountaintop. The 6200 would be 0.3-0.4 "/pixel which is way oversampled and you would not be gaining anything at all.

Both cameras are full frame so you get the same framing.

The 2400 has DEEP wells (100k electrons) so you will be able to take longer exposures without saturating.

Both cameras have produced great images for me. Low noise, easy to configure and use, and so on. The 2600MM with filters and filter wheel involves a bit more processing, plus the cost of the wheel and filters, of course. But it's a fun bit of learning.

I would shy away from the ASI filter wheels. I had two issues that took some learning to get over. One is that the wheel needs to be balanced (full of filters or filters evenly spaced) or it will rotate under gravity depending on the scope position. The motor has no "hold" current and the wheel is free to rotate. The second issue is repositioning. The wheel will rotate in either direction, but where it stops can be different if it is rotating clockwise or anticlockwise. So when planning an imaging sequence, I just arrange so the wheel always approaches each filter position from the same direction. Maybe they have fixed the drivers so you can shut off the bidirectional feature, but that didn't work last time I checked.

Best of luck.

Wayne

Wayne Malkin:
Some basic feedback. I have both a 2400MC and 2600MM with filter wheel. The 2600 has the same pixel scale as the 6200, but at APS-C size frame instead of full frame.

The 2400 is probably a better match for a longer focal length scope. If your RC is 2000-2500mm focal length, the 5.94um pixels of the 2400 will already be at 0.5-0.6 "/pixel (or less) which is probably oversampling for almost anywhere except a pristine mountaintop. The 6200 would be 0.3-0.4 "/pixel which is way oversampled and you would not be gaining anything at all.

Both cameras are full frame so you get the same framing.

The 2400 has DEEP wells (100k electrons) so you will be able to take longer exposures without saturating.

Both cameras have produced great images for me. Low noise, easy to configure and use, and so on. The 2600MM with filters and filter wheel involves a bit more processing, plus the cost of the wheel and filters, of course. But it's a fun bit of learning.

I would shy away from the ASI filter wheels. I had two issues that took some learning to get over. One is that the wheel needs to be balanced (full of filters or filters evenly spaced) or it will rotate under gravity depending on the scope position. The motor has no "hold" current and the wheel is free to rotate. The second issue is repositioning. The wheel will rotate in either direction, but where it stops can be different if it is rotating clockwise or anticlockwise. So when planning an imaging sequence, I just arrange so the wheel always approaches each filter position from the same direction. Maybe they have fixed the drivers so you can shut off the bidirectional feature, but that didn't work last time I checked.

Best of luck.

Hi Wayne,

Thank you for your insightful feedback! I really appreciate you sharing your experience with both the ASI2400MC and ASI2600MM. Your input about the ASI filter wheel was incredibly helpful.
I wasn’t aware of the issue with the ZWO filter wheel, but I actually got mine about a month ago. I’ll definitely take your advice into account and work on adjusting the filter wheel configurations to ensure smooth operation.

Thanks again for pointing out the potential challenges, it’s always great to learn from the experiences of others!

It’s great to hear that both cameras have performed well for you, and I completely agree that the deep wells on the 2400MC make it an excellent choice for longer exposures. I’m looking forward to seeing how everything comes together in my setup.

Clear skies, Fernando

YingtianZZZ:
YingtianZZZ

Hi YingtianZZZ,

Thank you for sharing your experience with the ASI6200MM! It’s great to hear that it has worked well for you, especially in a Bortle 6-7 environment. Your insights on pixel size and binning are really helpful, and I appreciate the perspective on using the 6200 for shorter focal length scopes.

At this point, I’m still sticking with a color setup and not quite ready to transition to a mono camera yet. I know there are advantages, especially for narrowband imaging, but for now, I’m focusing on optimizing my current setup.

Thanks again for your valuable input!

CS,
Fernando

I pair an ASI2400MC pro with my RASA 11.  I guess you'd have to have deep pockets to have both the 6200 and 2400…  but as far as I can see, they are both cameras of high quality. The choice mostly comes down to pixel size and how that works with your set up. Although the 6200 would perhaps give me a more satisfactory resolution, the larger pixels of the 2400 help a bit with tilt management.

NB HCG mode kicks in at gain 140 - this is the more normal choice for gain than the 120 mentioned above. And yes, the full well is 100,000 - but that is only available at Gain 0. With HCG mode, a similar DR is achieved.

This would be a way easier decision for mono cameras, as you could simply Bin2 the 6200 to get an even better pixelscale with tha long focal length. The 2400 is only available in colour, but anything beyond APS-C doesn't really make sense in one shot colour anymore imho, as the cameras get so expensive, that the filters don't make too much of a difference. And especially when trying to fight light pollution the mono-setup works far better.

Yes, one shot colour is easier, and I stick to it aswell so far. But I would instantly go for a mono-setup, if I actually would live in a place where I had more than a maximum of 20 clear nights a year. Living at 62° northern lattitude is not the best place for this hobby.

If you want to stick to one shot colour however, then the 2400MC is the better choice for that long focal length scope.

I can only speak from experience with the 2400 MC.  I love it-it is a great little camera and fits my 13" 1600mm FL newt very well. I am coming form a FF modified DSLR so I have no other cameras to reference.  But for OSC it really shines with the gain at 140 at -10C.  Sensitivity is great and I am in B7 sky.  Otherwise, shooting with it feels similar to my DSLR-just more DR, for sure.  I'd recommend it.

Tom

Tom Marsala:
I can only speak from experience with the 2400 MC.  I love it-it is a great little camera and fits my 13" 1600mm FL newt very well. I am coming form a FF modified DSLR so I have no other cameras to reference.  But for OSC it really shines with the gain at 140 at -10C.  Sensitivity is great and I am in B7 sky.  Otherwise, shooting with it feels similar to my DSLR-just more DR, for sure.  I'd recommend it.

Tom

Thanks for sharing your technique with the 2400MC.   I'll try the 140 gain and -10.  I've only used a gain of 120.

DavesView:
DavesView

Hi DavesView,
thanks for sharing your experience with the ASI6200 and ASIair!
I actually already have the ASI2600MC and use N.I.N.A. for my imaging sessions, so I’m glad to hear you migrated to it as well.
Given your experience, do you think the 6200 would still be a worthwhile upgrade for me, or would the 2400 be the better choice considering file size and handling in N.I.N.A.? Appreciate your thoughts!

F. Londe:

Tom Marsala:
Tom Marsala

Hi Tom,
thanks for sharing your experience with the ASI2400MC!
 I’m curious, how do you find it handles noise reduction in post-processing compared to your DSLR?
Also, do you usually stick with gain 140 for all targets, or do you adjust it based on conditions?
Appreciate your thoughts!

Noise handling is so much better, especially in the shadows.  I will credit the Back-side-illuminated sensor and the cooling for that.  Yes, I am using 140 for my gain for everything.  I am only a year into using it and I have not experimented with 100 yet.  But I can't wait to try the full well-depth that it offers.  Any sub without a filter I try and keep the exposure at a minimum and I feel that 140 helps with that.  But I speak from inexperience with it.  I have used a DSLR for years and have always kept the ISO higher and constant at the cost of losing dynamic range.